FG plan for Irish would be regressive, says Ahern

The dropping of the compulsory teaching of Irish for the Leaving Certificate would be a "regressive step", Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said today.

Speaking in the Dáil this morning, Mr Ahern said he believed any such move would lead to a drop in the number of people speaking the language.

Mr Kenny said the Irish curriculum is failing students and helping to destroy the language. Students should learn Irish as a spoken language in primary and post-primary schools, with the emphasis on oral rather than written examinations.

Mr Ahern said he was "the first to admit" he was not a fluent Irish speaker. "But this does not take away my wish to have a greater fluency of the language.

"As our national language, I believe that every effort should be made by the State to ensure that more and more of our citizens are capable of the cúpla focail or more." The Government rightly acknowledges that there are difficulties in the way that Irish is taught in schools," Mr Ahern added.

"Instead of sidelining or downgrading the language in the education system, I believe that we should work to resolve the difficulties that exist so that we can continue the promotion and expansion of language."

Mr Kenny pointed out that only 70,000 people in the last Census said they used Irish on a daily basis.

"This House should do what Riverdance has done for Irish dancing," Mr Kenny told the House. "If you teach it properly and use skilful teachers and innovative modern methods, students at Junior Cert level will really want to do the language because they enjoy it and not be tied up in the details of complicated grammar.

"Students aged 16 years of age can join the Defence Forces, get married and drive a moped but are still told to sit in a classroom and learn a language," he added.

"It's not just a question of clinging to a 75-year-old sacred cow that is not going to deliver. This is about looking at 2005 and beyond at a language that should be taught in a vibrant and energetic way for our country.

"I believe we should offer them that choice at Junior Cert level," Mr Kenny, a former teacher, explained.

Meanwhile, this afternoon around 200 Irish language lobbyists marched from Trinity College, past the Dáil, and on to Fine Gael's head quarters at Mount Street in Dublin, to protest at Mr Kenny's ideas.

The Chairperson of Na Gaeil Óga, Ciarán Mac Fhearghusa, said the plans went against Fine Gael tradition and if implemented "will marginalise not only Irish but other languages in education system, which conflicts with the aims of the EU, the Council of Europe and the attitude of the general population."

Dáithí Mac Cárthaigh, President of Conradh na Gaeilge, said the policy was "a retrograde step".

Mr Mac Cárthaigh said that as part of its education policy Conradh na Gaeilge recommends one subject along with Irish be taught through Irish to all pupils. He also said that one subject be taught through a third language to every second level student.

Additional reporting PA